The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-04-28
BADLY BRUISED.
A special Train Bearing state Officials
Goes Down an Embankment.

= SpecAaA Efaln Bearing state OFFICIALS
Goes Down an Embankment.
Topeka, Kas., April PA special
train arrived on the Rock Island at
p. m. yesterday having on board a party
/ of injured men from Holton. These
consisted of Lieutenant Governor Rid
die, Secretary of State Allen and State
| Auditor Mccarthy of the Kansas board
of railroad assessors, who have been
making tour of inspection over the
Chicago, Kansas s. Southwestern
They were accompanied by President
Lowe, General Manager Fisher and
the entire train crew, all of whom were
more or less bruised and injured. The
party left Holton at IL o'clock in the
morning to go west on the Atchison
branch of the Rock Island and one mile
west of that place the whole train was
hurled down an embankment twenty
five feet high. Allen was hurt the
worst, but not dangerously.
Governor Riddle was injured in the
left leg so that he had to be carried
from the scene, as was also Allen,
but he is now all right. Mccarthy was
bruised badly about the head. Judge
Severy of the Iowa supreme court was
very badly hurt about the head and
nearly every one on the special car was
more or less injured, President Lowe
and the porter of the car alone escap-
ing unscratched. The wreck was
in sight of the town of HOl-
ton and was quickly surrounded
by the entire population who rendered
every assistance possible. Judge Sew
cry was sent to Atchison and all the
rest brought to Topeka. Allen and
Riddle are confined to their beds. The
engine was backing up driving the sPe-
cial car Columbia" when the tender
jumped from the track and drew the
locomotive after it, the coach, following
the engine landed heels up on the side
of the hill, but the engineer still held
on to the lever. He was merely
scratched.
Winter Wheat and Farm AnImaIs.
The April report of the department
of agriculture on the condition of win
ter grain and farm animals, which has
just been issued, gives the following
facts concerning the state of Kan
sas:
The season of 1856 and the FIRST three
months of the present yeat passed
with as slight rainfall as any period
hOJCu III LILO VI IlAO lC
streams and springs are at as low an
ebb as ever before known, and our
farmers are now looking anxiOusly for
rain as tae time for spring blowing and
planting approaches. The condition
of the soil for seeding and termination
was from good to fair in twelve coun-
ties, while in the remainder of the
state it was much too dry and hard to
favor healthy or vigorous growth.
The present condition of the
crop in large majority of
the counties may be summed up as fol-
lows: dry at planting time Late in start
ing, and backward this spring. In
Kingman county the chinch bug made
its appearance at the time of germina-
ton, and combining with the dry
weather caused the prospect of a crop
to dwindl9 to small proportions. Stub
bic ground that was plowed early and
thoroughly cultivated, with corn
ground, are in better condition than
the rest. There was very slight pro-
lection to the crop during the winter
from snow, and the reason that wheat
is in as good condition as it is is attri-
buted to the fact that there was but
little severe freezing.
The Hessian fly is reported in but two
counties. Notwithstanding the unfa-
VOraDl0 cOnQlG1On attending the crop,
the comparative condition for the state
is not as low as it was for the past two
seasons, and with proportions weather
from now on the prospect for a fair
| crop is encouraging.
Rye has again demonstrated its abil-
ity to withstand dry weather better
than wheat. While it had the same
unfavorable conditions to contend with
its comparative condition for the state
is much better than that of wheat
There is quite decided movement
| among Kansas farmers, especially
those in the northern half of the state
| to pay more attention to the cultiva.
| tion of rye as food for stock, especially
| swine.
The only epidemic among farm ami
mails during the year was chOlers
among hogs. a larger per cent of los:
was met from this cause than in any
previous year. Especially was this
trIe in the counties lying along the
northern border. The usual trouble:
with distemper and black-leg are agar
reported, but the loss is comparatively
light. Most of the losses in cattle re
suited from the use of corn stalk field
too freely in the fall. There wer
large numbers of cattle fed in the stat
during the fall and winter, Jewel
county alone feeding 10000 steers
There was but little money made las
year in feeding, the price of fat cattl
at Kansas City being at a low poin
during that time.